Dubai – Qahwa World
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) published an investigation into the growing popularity of coffee beverages containing added ingredients that target specific health benefits, known as “Functional Coffee,” noting its shift from specialized health food stores to major coffee shop chains.
Functional Coffee is defined as coffee beverages to which additional ingredients are added, such as mushrooms (like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and Chaga), protein, or collagen, aiming to provide consumers with benefits beyond the traditional caffeine boost.
The investigation indicates that consumers are seeking these additions to support clear focus, stable energy levels, or benefits related to skin and gut health.
In the context of this spread, Ellie Brecher, the nutritionist consulted by the BBC, affirms that Functional Coffee “is moving from specialized wellness corners to the mainstream,” as people have become “more interested in well-being, stress support, and energy stability.”
This transition is reflected in increased demand, where the health food chain Holland & Barrett nearly doubled its range of mushroom coffee drinks over the past year, while major stores like Marks & Spencer began selling Lion’s Mane latte beverages in their cafes.
The trend is not limited to that; coffee giants like Starbucks started selling protein-rich coffee in their US stores.
Furthermore, the Black Sheep Coffee chain launched its “Functional Wellness Latte” range, with Lion’s Mane latte sales being their best-seller, as customers add functional ingredients to approximately 15% of their total orders.
These striking figures confirm the findings of the food research company Tastewise, which found that the number of mushroom coffee drinks on UK cafe menus grew by 30% over the last year.
Regarding the product characteristics, the journalist who conducted the experiment reported that Lion’s Mane mushroom has a “subtle” flavor, and the Functional Coffee was not significantly different from a regular latte, despite her expecting the opposite.
As for the cost, these additions require an extra charge; at Black Sheep Coffee, adding Lion’s Mane mushroom costs about 99 pence (one British Pound), and collagen costs about £1.09.
In the context of health benefits, the investigation indicates that research on the effect of Lion’s Mane mushroom on brain function is “promising”; however, nutritionist Penny Suresh from the British Dietetics Association warns that the doses in commercial beverages are often “too low” to mimic the effects reported in research trials.
Nutritionist Ellie Brecher concludes her advice by stating: “If it makes you feel good and you have the budget for it, then go ahead and enjoy it… but remember the key is that it is an addition and not a magic solution.”
For her part, in a special interview with “Qahwa World” commenting on these developments, Dr. Amani Adam said: “We have spent long years drinking coffee in the same traditional way. Although the global coffee market is growing from 2.2% to 4.3% annually, the more important thing is that health awareness is growing alongside it… because coffee has become part of a fast lifestyle filled with pressures and tension.”
She added: “From here, the role of Functional Coffee emerged – which has become a real solution to many problems associated with coffee drinking habits… such as tension, anxiety, and digestive and sleep disorders.”
She continued: “This vision is not new to us. For 4 years, I have seen the market moving in this direction, and that is why I started thinking about an awareness platform to clarify the benefits of coffee—especially Functional Coffee.”
She explained that the issue is not just ‘a healthy addition, nothing more.’ “Coffee itself contains more than a thousand bioactive compounds! This provides a huge opportunity to benefit from its chemical composition… transforming it from a regular caffeine dose… into a means to support focus, improve mood, and help the body perform better.”
According to Dr. Amani, this opened the door for powerful alternatives… such as Mushroom Coffee, which truly changed the concept of coffee for many people.
She concluded her statement by saying: “I believe that now is the appropriate time to understand the true role of coffee in our lives, and I thank Qahwa World for being among the first platforms to highlight everything new and important in the world of coffee.”
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